


Price of a rumor

by Redzik



Series: New's Year resolution 2019 [4]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Under the Red Hood
Genre: Batfam bingo 2019, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Time Travel, ex-Talon!Dick, he still kills sometimes, jaydick-flashfic: rumors and reputations, past trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 08:35:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18465334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redzik/pseuds/Redzik
Summary: Number 18The rumor spread faster than any other had ever before.





	Price of a rumor

**Author's Note:**

> Another perfect prompt to finish one of my fics lingering in the depths of my laptop ;p And even better, the prompt lines up with both: JayDick Flashfic Challenge and Batfam Bingo - rumor (and reputation).
> 
> It didn't turned out completely as I wanted it to, but what fic ever does? It's dark - in a way that Dick is not completely over his Talonisation and off-screen Jason reliving one of his most traumatizing memories.

The rumor spread faster than any other had ever before. In just a few moments every Gotham’s and Blüdhaven’s fanbases, every single fangirl and fanboy heard all about it. And then it took only a few moments longer for the rumor to reach other cities and then entire world.

Mere minutes later hundreds of theories were created, discussions started and make-believe proofs delivered. Some declared they had seen this coming, some were surprised, some didn’t believe it. Others got their dreams crushed. And then there were those who decided to take an advantage of it. Because who wouldn’t want a piece of that hot asses? It would be simple really. After all the rumored duo was at the opposite ends of the law, which translated into them keeping their masks on to protect their civilian identities from being compromised. So it was a matter of laying out the money on spandex or leather jacket and the chances of having a spectacular, dreams-came-true lay were drastically improved.

The line of potential suitors didn’t diminish despite them ending in a police precinct, and in few cases in a hospital when they didn’t want to take no for an answer. Those people especially made Red Hood trigger happy.

* * *

Dick enjoyed jumping from rooftop to rooftop during his short break in crime fighting Jason suggested he take every now and then. The Court kept him on a short leash, allowing him out in the world only to carry out their orders to kill. Even Batman tried to keep him by his side after he returned to the family and under constant surveillance when Dick refused to stay. Only Jason allowed him the true freedom to spread his wings once again and regain his self.

Dick whooped joyously as he made especially long leap, rolled gracefully onto his feet after he hit the roof and froze.

He wasn’t alone.

In the shadows cast by a billboard and staircase entrance stood two people. Batman and Red Hood. Both impersonated their respective alter egos perfectly and Dick should know. With additional training in the Court and enhanced senses he got excellent at reading people. He was even better at it than Cassandra, who was considered a master in that regard. Still, there was something off about them. They were wary of him, defensive. It threw Dick for a loop. Batman wasn’t exactly trusting, but he wasn’t so tense in his presence anymore. And Red Hood always showed him begrudging affection while other Bats were around to see their interactions, not the almost threats of violence.

“Nightwing,” Batman growled out.

“Yes?” Dick tilted his head, considering. Were they under some influence? Unlikely, he discarded the thought. Someone was blackmailing them? No, they have codes for that and they didn’t use them now. Maybe they were from another reality? It would explain their uncommon behavior.

“Temporal displacement,” Red Hood commented offhandedly. He shrugged when Batman glared at him. “What? The guy say something about different time when he threw that spell at us.”

“What did he say exactly?” Batman demanded.

“What? You don’t speak that language?” Red Hood mocked. “Shocking!”

“What. Did. He. Say,” Batman gritted out.

“So,” Nightwing interrupted. “Time travel? Do you know who Red Hood is?”

“No,” Batman glared at Dick, “do you?”

“Then it looks like you’re from the past. From my perspective.”

Batman opened his mouth, but got interrupted by the heavy boots hitting the roof.

“Hey there, Pretty Boy,” a mechanical, but still cocky voice drawled almost immediately after.

Dick groaned quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose. Why now?

“Excuse me for a minute,” he said to Batman and Red Hood and turned around to face the newcomer.

The guy was strolling confidently in Dick’s direction from the fire escape he used to climb up. He was clad in Red Hood’s get up, that had Dick frown at him. He knew that jacket, he knew it intimately. He spend hours wrapped in it’s warmth and comfort. The helmet was also very familiar. As were the guns. And other equipment. The guy had to rob Red Hood or…

Dick pulled his escrimas and activated them, shifting into battle stance.

“Where is Red Hood?”

“What do you mean, baby?” the guy spread his hands as if presenting his own person. “I’m right here.”

“You’re not him. Where is he?”

“I don’t know what-”

Dick growled, the fear and worry making him impatient and rash. He lunged at the guy and in one smooth move swept his legs out from under him. The fake Red Hood crashed hard on the ground and Dick didn’t waste any time in divesting him of the helmet.

“Where is Red Hood,” Dick snarled into guy’s revealed face.

“I’m Red-” the guy insisted only to be cut off by Dick’s hand gripping at his throat. The guy choked.

“Nightwing!” Batman barked, grabbing at his arm.

Dick pushed him away and dragged the fake Red Hood to the end of the rooftop and dangled him over the edge, easily keeping him up with one hand.

“I ask one more time. Where. Is. Red. Hood.”

The guy choked something out. Dick pulled him in and loosened his hold on his throat just enough for him to talk.

“Repeat,” he ordered.

The guy smirked.

“He’s not right for you, baby. You don’t have to worry about him anymore, I left him six feet under.”

Dick froze for a second and then with a snarl he tossed the guy off the roof.

“No!” Batman shouted and dove after him.

Dick turned away from the edge and activated his comm.

“O, did you get that?” he growled.

“Already scanning for him,” Barbara replied. “Red Robin and Robin are beginning their search.”

“Get Flash, Superman, anyone with super speed down here immediately,” Dick ordered. “I want him found now!”

“Don’t you think-” Barbara started to protest. She wanted to find Jason just as much as Dick, but involving Justice League? Bruce wouldn’t be happy. It was Bat business and outsiders weren’t welcome to butt in in Gotham’s affairs.

“I don’t care,” Dick replied with a voice that send shivers down her spine. Sometimes she forgot he wasn’t just their bubbly, happy Dick Grayson anymore. “Just get it done.”

“On it,” she agreed.

Dick paced along the roof impatiently. He wanted to head off and search himself, but he didn’t want to waste time if it turned out he headed in the wrong direction.

“Dick?” the Red Hood asked uncertainly. He didn’t think he would ever witness Nightwing tossing someone off to their death. Let alone for him. It was a scary thought.

“Nobody hurts you and gets away with it,” Dick said with finality just as Batman hauled an unconscious fake Red Hood back onto the roof. Dick’s lips curled in disgust and turned away from the penetrating stare Batman aimed at him.

“Flash got him,” Oracle reported a minute later. “He’s alive.”

“Where?” Dick barked.

Barbara relayed the information quickly.

“I’m a minute out,” Red Robin chimed in.

“Three minutes,” Robin added.

Dick pressed his lips in irritation. He was at the other end of the city and he couldn’t make it as fast as he wanted, but he would be damned if he was going to stand around and wait any second longer. Without another word he threw himself off the building and grappled in the direction his brothers were. On the way he remotely called the batmobile so it would be already in motion when it reached him.

A tense fifteen minutes later he was flying out of the car even before it had the chance to stop and barreling forward into the bundle on the grass. Batman and the other Red Hood following him at a more sedate pace.

They were just outside of the graveyard, out of the view of any passerby and the graveyard itself was shielded from their view. Flash was talking quietly with Superman hovering in the air protectively over his brothers. Jason was sitting on the ground, bruised and dirty, stripped down to his under-armor shirt and boxers. He had his arms wrapped tightly around Robin and Red Robin at his each side and was taking deep, measured breaths to calm down.

Dick just dove in between them, curling against Jason’s chest and happy with the still beating heart of his favorite bird.

“Hey, Sweetheart,” Jason rasped.

“He’s deader than dead,” Dick promised pushing his face harder into Jason’s chest.

“Is he now?” Jason raised an eyebrow. He will need to have another talk with Dick about killing. He thought he had it under control, but Dick was prone to fall back on his Talon programming when stressed about loved one’s well being.

“Batman saved him,” Dick admitted grumpily. “Just like the Joker.”

“It didn’t stop you from handing me his head on a silver platter,” Jason commented, shuddering at the memory. “I still have nightmares.”

Dick made a distressed sound.

“You asked for it,” he said plaintively, a lot closer to fully understanding what was the problem than he was at that time. He killed. He got that. It was bad. He got that. The Joker hurt his Little Wing and Jason wanted the clown dead. Dick would do anything to make his Little Wing happy, so he gave him what he wanted. But Jason wasn’t happy about that. He was sad. Only later Dick realized he hurt his Little Wing by adding more to the burden he was already carrying.

“I know,” Jason leaned down to kiss the crown of his head. “I know.”

“Let’s get you cleaned up and warm,” Dick said after another moment of enjoying Jason’s presence.

“Oh God,” Red Robin muttered. “I’m already sweating.”

Dick hated cold with a passion now and somehow he had gotten into his head that warmth made everything better for everyone, not only for himself. So whenever one of them had a bad day or got sick and Dick got wind of it they had to endure sweltering temperatures until Dick was reassured they were fine. Over time he got better at deciphering when that treatment would be appropriate, but they still were subjected to tropical heats from time to time.

Dick frowned, but still nudged his head affectionately with his own.

“You don’t have to stay, if you don’t want to.”

Tim sighed. He didn’t want to, but he didn’t want to leave Jason either. He arrived just as Flash was pulling Jason out of the coffin, which he dug up at the cemetery. Giving Red Hood’s history it was no wonder Jason was crazed with panic. I took him and Damian a while to calm him down enough to sit down and cuddle for warmth. They had a lot close calls in their line of work, but this was hitting harder than the other ones.

“We’ll see when we get home,” Red Robin compromised.

“Alright,” Dick looked at Robin for his input, but the boy didn’t even stir, just clinging to Jason as if his life depended on it. “Alright,” Dick repeated and stood up. He helped his brothers get on their feet and escorted them to the batmobile. He paused before he got into the driver’s seat and turned back.

“You will take care of them, yeah?” Nightwing asked Superman and Flash, gesturing at silent Red Hood and stunned Batman.

“Don’t worry about them,” Superman smiled. “We got this.”

“Thanks,” Dick nodded, got into the car and drove away.


End file.
